The Toronto Maple Leafs have locked up defenseman Emil Andrae on a two-year contract worth $3.1 million, according to PuckPedia. The deal carries a $1.55 million cap hit and came together Saturday after Andrae hit restricted free agency when his entry-level contract expired July 1.
Andrae arrived in Toronto back in June as part of a trade that sent goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to Philadelphia. The Leafs also got goalie Samuel Ersson and a 2026 third-round pick in that deal. Ersson got flipped to Ottawa for a fifth-rounder, and Toronto used that third-round pick to draft goalie Juuso Ainsto at 85th overall.
The 24-year-old Swede played all of last season with the Flyers, his first full NHL campaign. He put up 2 goals and 11 assists in 61 games, averaging 15:20 of ice time. He was sixth on the team with 58 blocked shots and added a helper in four playoff games, though Philly got bounced early.
Andrae was originally a second-round pick by the Flyers in 2020, taken 54th overall. Over parts of three NHL seasons, he has 3 goals and 17 assists in 107 games. Not flashy numbers, but the Leafs clearly see something they like in his game.
Before cracking the NHL full-time, Andrae spent time with Lehigh Valley in the AHL. In 103 regular-season games there he racked up 59 points, including 10 goals. He also had 9 points in 16 Calder Cup playoff games. His best AHL season came in 2023-24 when he put up 32 points in 61 games, then followed that with 16 points in 25 games the next year.
Swedish Roots
Andrae came up through HV71 in Sweden’s top league, playing 91 games there and posting 6 goals and 33 points. He also represented Sweden at the 2019 U17 World Championship and the 2022 World Juniors, bringing home bronze medals both times. The Vastervik native moved to North America after that and has worked his way up the depth chart.
The new contract avoids arbitration and keeps Andrae in Toronto for two more seasons as the Leafs try to build out their blue line. He’s not going to wow anyone offensively, but he plays a steady, responsible game that fits what the team needs from its third pair. Whether he takes another step forward in 2026-27 is something the Leafs are betting on.
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